2023-11-10 11:00:00
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In the farthest reaches of the known universe dwells the galaxy ceers-2112, a distant sister to our own Milky Way. Until now we didn’t know it existed, but that is no longer the case thanks to an investigation led by the Astrobiology Center (CSIC-INTA).
The discovery has been possible thanks to the power of James Webb Space Telescope.
Video: images from the James Webb Space Telescope
Specifically, the detection of the bar galaxy ceers-2112 has been possible by examining the images obtained with NIRCam, one of Webb’s advanced instruments. To this end, researchers have applied sophisticated analytical techniques, including modeling the galaxy’s light spectrum at different wavelengths and examining the spatial fluctuations of its symmetric components using Fourier analysis.
MUCH OLDER THAN EXPECTED
The temporal mirror that the James Webb Space Telescope offers us reveals a universe in its youth, challenging our conceptions of galactic evolution.
Ceers-2112, located at a distance corresponding to a universe that is only 2.1 billion years old, is the oldest barred spiral galaxy detected to date, challenging our conceptions of galactic evolution, as it is an older age. earlier than thought possible.
James Webb captures the spectacular collision of two galaxies
Dark matter, that mysterious and ubiquitous component, was considered the main influence on the formation of galaxies in early stages. However, the evidence suggests that ordinary matter, baryonic matter, played a more dominant role in the case of ceers-2112.
The galaxy has one of the most characteristic structures of the Milky Way, the one known as the galactic bar, a central band of bright stars. These bars are not mere aesthetic curiosities: their function in the hectic gravitational dance of galaxies is crucial for the mixing of elements and the formation of new stars. The revelation that such structures existed in such a young universe greatly expands our understanding of cosmic evolution.
Planets or stars? The strange discovery of the James Webb challenges theories
Until now, knowledge of distant galaxies and their morphology largely depended on observations made by the Hubble Space Telescope. These distant galaxies often appeared as irregular structures, perhaps the result of collisions and mergers. But with the superior capabilities of James Webb, the vision of a distant and ordered universe is emerging, challenging the chaotic image previously conceived.
These valuable data were collected during observations carried out within the framework of the CEERS project (Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science), under the direction of Steven L. Finkelstein of the University of Texas in the United States, carried out in the Extended Groth Strip area, located in the sky between the constellations of the Big Dipper and the Boyero . The project has had the collaboration of 33 scientists belonging to 29 different institutions in eight countries.
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